THE WAILERS レコード& CD

Review: In the 1960s, The Wailers, including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, recorded their first songs under Coxsone Dodd. By 1966, members had begun to leave and both Constantine Walker and Rita Marley came in as replacements. During the ska era, they were less consistent than peers like The Paragons and Maytals but by 1967 and now working with producer Clancy Eccles, they began developing their distinct sound with tracks like 'Bend Down Low' and 'Hypocrites'. They later collaborated with hitmaker Leslie Kong which led to their 1971 album The Best of The Wailers. Featuring solid rhythms and heartfelt harmonies, it's now regarded as a classic and comes newly issued on CD.

Review: Reggae is a genre that always existed on 7" in the early days. However, this album from The Wailers changed that as the first to ever be recorded as a full-length album. The Best Of The Wailers was actually their very first and it was recorded before their involvement with Lee Perry. It didn't drop until 1971 and showcased the group at the peak of their soulful powers. Each of the tunes is deceptively simple but impactful with plenty of memorable harmonies between Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. The sounds are perfectly raw and undercooked to give them an authentic and emotive edge and many of the tracks remain classics to this day.